Improvement in slinging knapsacks



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS MILES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SLINGING KNAPSACKS.

Specioation forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,260, dated January 28, 1862.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MILES, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Mode of Slin ging Knapsacks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in providing a knapsack with a single shoulder-strap and a single fastening, by means of which it may be properly attached to and sustained upon the back and shoulders of the wearer.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In the drawings my mode of slinging a knapsack is shown applied to the ordinaryT United States army regulation knapsack, but itis equally applicable to any of the knapsacks now in use.

Figure l is a perspective view thereof, and Fig. 2 a like view of a portion of a knapsack and showing a variation in the mode of fastening the working end of the shoulder-strap.

A indicates the body, and B the Hap, of the knapsack, both being represented as iilled and ready to be placed in position upon the shoulders of a soldier, the ilap being confined to the body A by means of straps p, engaging withvbuckles e, attached to the bottom of the knapsack, as shown in Fig. l.

To the front side of the knapsack I attach by sewing, riveting, or otherwise, the inner end of a shoulder-strap C, as shown in said figure at a and a3, leaving a portion of the strap C between the points of its attachment to the knapsack, so as to form a loop Z, said loop being central of the width of the body A and near its top. The outer end of strap C is then passed down near the bottom of the knapsack and through a loop Z2, whichis centrally situated as regards the width of the body A and near its bottom. The strap C is then passed up toward the top of the knapsack and through a loop Z', formed bya strip of leather a attached to the body A, as shown in Fig. l. Said strap is thence passed through the loop Z and downward in adiagonal direc tion into a buckle f, where its outer extremity is coniined in the usual manner, as shown in the iigure.

In the manipulation and disposition of the shoulder-strap C, as just described, sufficient length of the strap is provided at the right and left hand of the center of the body A to form bows or large loops, through which the arms of the soldier are thrust in the act of placing the knapsack upon his back, and whichwbows or loops may be enlarged or di minislied to suit the shoulders of the wearer by letting out or tightening the outer end of the strap, and which act also snugly or loosely adjusts the knapsack to the back and shoulders of the wearer, as the case may be.

It will be seen that the top and bottom of the knapsack, by means of attachments @,d, d3, Z, and Z and the attachment Z2, as shown connected with the shoulderstrap C, will be sustained in proper position upon the shoulders of the' wearer, and that the downward draft of the knapsack, falling upon a point central of its width, will constantly tend to draw the bows of the strap toward the neck of thewearcr, thus eifectually preventing them from slipping off the shoulders.

In Fig. 2 I have shown two loops Z3 Z3, attached near the bottom of body A and dividing its width in equal spaces and through which loops the shoulder-strap C passes, the advantage being to prevent a swaying motion of the knapsack while upon the shoulders and when the wearer is in the act of walking. I also show in said figure the outer end ot' the shoulder-strap imperforated and its extreme end sewed to a loop g, which passes around and is capable of sliding upon a portion of said strap. Below loop g a loop g passes around a lapped or doubled portion O of the shoulderstrap and is capable of sliding thereon, thus affording, as will be perceived, a ready means of extending or shortening the effective length of the said shoulder-strap, and instead of securing the strap C by a buckle, as in Fig. 1,1 provide a metallic eye Zz and hook 1', as clearly shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of a fastening.

I have thus shown a knapsack which is completely slung by the use of a single strap C and a single detachable fastening. I thus economize cost and weight, simplify the means by which a knapsaok is sustained upon the strap and a single fasteningubstanbial'ly as shoulders, and dispense with all breast-straps. described.

Havinff thus described my invention, what I claim asbnew, and desire to secure by Letters THOMAS MILES' Patent, is- W'itnesses:

Sustaining a knapsaek upon the back and JOHN WHITE,

shoulder of the wearer by means of a single JOHN WIDMER, Jr. 

